MSc in African Studies

Welcome to the University of Edinburgh MSc in African Studies! We are proud to offer one of the top African Studies programmes in the UK, where students from diverse backgrounds develop specialist expertise on the culture, politics, and history of Africa, the world's fastest growing continent.

Join Edinburgh's world-class Centre of African Studies

As a master's student at Edinburgh, you will become an integral part the Centre of African Studies, an inclusive and diverse group of internationally recognized scholars.

The Centre of African Studies (CAS) is a leading hub for Africanist research and teaching, within the prestigious School of Social and Political Science. We are one of the oldest and largest African Studies centers in Europe and we pride ourselves on undertaking a diverse range of cutting-edge interdisciplinary research.

Come join the Centre of African Studies, now in our fifth decade, and take a fresh look at Africa in the 21st century.

Launch your career

Whether you plan to work in Africa, Europe, or beyond, the MSc in African Studies is your stepping stone to a critically engaged and research-informed career. Past students of the MSc in African Studies have continued on to careers in government and diplomacy, top international organisations and NGOs, policy making, academia, and the private sector. The programme will provide you with the analytical tools and the empirical knowledge to understand some of the fundamental forces that have shaped, and are shaping, Africa. It combines a strong core curriculum with the flexibility to develop individual interests towards specialist expertise. Take a look at the latest 60 Second interview here.

How to Apply

Further guidance on how to apply and entry requirements, etc. is available on the Graduate School website. Please feel free to contact the Programme Director with any further queries.

Fees and Scholarships

Bologna Compatibility

Like all University of Edinburgh Masters programmes, the degree is fully Bologna compatible, and is recognised across Europe and beyond under the principles of the Bologna framework. The programme comprises 180 Edinburgh credits, which are equivalent to 90 ECTS credits.

Edinburgh4Learning

Edinburgh4Learning offers an intuitive and easy to use funding information tool which allows students to search using a series of handy drop-down lists. Students can access the Edinburgh4Learning portal direct from the Scholarships and Student Funding Services website. Registration requires a valid university of Edinburgh e-mail address and in a matter of moments students can access numerous funding opportunities to help them during their studies.